Intel Next Unit of Computing Kit DC3217BY

Intel has delivered a surprisingly attractive gadget in its Next Unit of Computing
mini PC. Despite its exceedingly small size, performance is head and shoulders
above all other mini computers we've reviewed over the years, regardless of
CPU origin. It is most definitely not an Atom. This is due partly to the superior
performance of the 3rd generation Core chip at its heart, and the much improved
integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 does its part. The high performance mini-PCIe
mSATA 6 GB/s Intel 525 SSD cannot be ignored, either: Its small size is partly
responsible for the tiny NUC package, while its speed helps overall performance
approach that of full fledged desktop PCs. The power usage in idle is a new
low, and with nominal loads, it merely sips at power, much like a modern laptop.
It wasn't often that we could push AC power past 20W. Finally, the icing on
the cake is amazingly quiet performance straight out of the box. In normal usage,
the acoustics of the NUC are so unobtrusive that only the most obsessive silence
fanatic would want to tinker with the BIOS fan controls, which surprisingly,
are there to be tinkered with.

The absence of USB 3.0 seems a shame, especially when you consider that the
real-world difference between that and ThunderBolt external storage devices
is not going to be much of a factor. The alternate NUC model, with two HDMI
ports and a gigabit ethernet port may be preferred by many users, given the
relative dirth and high pricing of current ThunderBolt solutions. Pricing of
the NUC seems a bit high, but hopefully, some new competition from other likely
quarters like Zotac, Asus or Sapphire will help in the near future. A not quite
as small mini-ITX package consisting of an Intel DQ77KB board, Asaka Euler fanless
case with 120W brick, and a 35W Pentium G645T dual-core Sandy Bridge running
at 2.5GHz would cost about the same, probably perform faster and offer a broader,
deeper range of 2.5" SATA SSD, memory and onboard I/O options (including
gigabit LAN). But such a combo will not challenge the energy efficiency of the
NUC in any way, and it will be at least double the size.

The Intel NUC is a bit reminiscent Apple's Mac Mini when it first appeared
in 2005. Measuring 6.5" square and just 2" tall, the 1.5 liter Mac
Mini  3X bigger than the Intel NUC!  still managed to sport an optical
drive and was a powerhouse for its size at the time. It was stylish, like the
NUC, and it was considered a bit overpriced as well. The big difference is that
the Mac Mini was sold as a complete system, not as a barebones PC. While enthusiast
DIYers will certainly represent the first wave of buyers, it is easy to foresee
system integrators rushing to offer complete NUC systems to end users, optimized
for various different applications. The pint-sized NUC is one of the cutest
yet capable little computers, certainly Intel's best-ever offering in this category.